Refrigerator car



July 6, 1943. e. BOSWINKLE REFRIGERATOR CAR Filed March 6, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet l PPW O 1 543$iiiaiuinii.

o wooozo o o z y 1943- G. BOSWlNKLE 2,323,446

REFRIGERATOR CAR Filed March 6, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 6 5 7 0o x Z w 'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII/IIA aye Z306) July 6, 1943.

G. BOSWINKLE REFRIGERAIbR CAR '5 Sheets-Shet 5 Filed March 6, 1942 July 6, 1943. G. BOSWINKLE REFRIGERATOR CAR Filed-Marph 6, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 J ly e. VBOSWINKLE 2,323,446

REFRIGERATOR GAR Filed March 6, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ,II 91 1a; .93 a 94 mar-rig;

Patented July 6, 1943 REFRIGERATOR CAR George Boswinkle, Chicago, IlL, assignor to Transportation Specialties Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application March 6, 1942, Serial No. 433,542

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to refrigerator cars, and is particularly concerned with the provision of an improved grate arrangement for halfstage icing.

One of the objects of my invention is the pro vision of an improved structure for ice bunkers by means of which a grate may be mounted in the ice bunker in such position as to permit use of a smaller supply of ice in the bunker, or the grate may be moved downward into such position that it forms a part of the wall without interfering with the filling of the bunker completely with ice, and without interfering with the intended circulation of the air around the ice.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved arrangement for manipulation of a half-icing grate by means of which the grate can be handled more easily, and it is supported more solidly than the devices of the prior art.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved supporting arrangement for a half-icing grate or any other type of removable grate, by means of which the weight is removed from the pintle when the grate is latched in the folded position against the wall, and which is adapted to be used on all types of refrigerator cars, such as those having stationary bulk-heads or movable bulk-heads of the convertible type.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved structure for an ice bunker adapted to support a half-icing grate in position to receive the ice, or in position against the wall to facilitate air circulation about a full load of ice, which is sturdy, capable of economical manufacture, simple and easier to manipulat than the devices of the prior art.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings. in which similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, of which there are five sheets,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary inside end elevational view of a refrigerator car end wall provided with a half-icing grate constructed according to the invention, with the grate in the folded position;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the ice bunker of the refrigerator car showing a half-icing grate constructed according to the invention, in a position to receive ice;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the half-icing grate showing the hinge and supporting structure for the grate;

Fig. dis a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing the details of structure of the hinge, and a special latching arrangement for holding the grate in its folded or vertical position;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary top plan View showing details of structure of the end post for the ice bunker, the hinges, bulk-head, and supporting structure for the half -icing grate;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the structure shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken through the bulk-head showing the mode of construction of that portion of the wall which supports the grate when the inside of the bulk-head is of the flush type;

Fig. 8 is a similar View of a modified wall structure which may be used when the foot flanges of the channels which make up the bulk-head posts are inside of the sheet metal wall of the bulkhead;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken through a modified form of bulkhead and showing a modified construction of the supporting devices for supporting the free end of the grate;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken on the plane of the line IlJ-l0 of Fig. 9 looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the detail of construction of these supporting devices;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentar elevational view of bulk-head framework which carries these supporting devices;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane of the line [2-H of Fig. 10 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view of the structure of the wall and grate-supporting device of a modified form which may be used alternatively for the grate supporting devices which are shown at the lower part of Fig. 4.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the refrigerator cars constructed according to the present invention are usually provided with an ice chamher or bunker I!) located at each end of the car, and the ice bunker is formed by the bulkhead H, the end wall l2 of the car, the two side walls of the car, the ceiling l3 and the drain pan IA.

The bulkhead usually comprises a plurality of channeled metal posts l5 which support a wooden sheathing IS on the lading side of the bulkhead, and which support a sheet metal wall IT on the side of the bulkhead toward the ice chamber l0. In some embodiments of the invention the bulkhead may comprise a metal frame of equivalent structure to the channeled metal posts without any sheet metal wall 11, the posts being covered by relatively heavy expanded metal, all of the parts of which having been pressed into substantially the same plane. The bulkhead usually terminates at the lower end 18 of the sheathing, and has ventilation space between a plurality of supporting brackets I9 at the bottom which support the bulkhead from the framework of the floor of the car At each of its lateral edges the bulkhead of the fixed type is secured to the side walls of the car, and at its upper end the sheet metal wall I! is provided with a plurality of apertures 20 to permit the passage of air through this part of the bulkhead. The lateral edges of the bulkhead are not fixedly secured to the side walls. The bulkhead metal wall I! and the sheathing l6 form air passages 2| between the posts 15 for the circulation of air around the ice in the bunker, and the air may pass through the bulkhead apertures 20 at the top and down around and through the ice in the bulkhead, and out of the spaces below the bulkhead into the space of the refrigerator car where the merchandise is carried.

The rear wall l2 of the refrigerator car may be of any desired construction, but it preferably includes the outer layer of sheet metal 22, the insulation 23, and a plurality of vertically eX- tending posts 24 of standard metal section.

The posts 24 support a covering of wire mesh screen 25 at the top of the ice chamber terminating at the point 26, where the half-stage icing grate 21 is located. This wire mesh 25 is preferably omitted below the half-icing grate so that the grate may be pivoted downward into vertical position as shown in full lines in Fig. 2 at 21, with the grate sections housed below the end posts of the car.

As the grate sections completely fill the space from wall to wall inside the bunker, it is necessary also to have the end posts terminate approximately at the point 26 where the halfstage ice grate is located. 7

The end posts and the wire mesh 25 and the adjacent structure of the end wall !2 also form air passages leading from the top of the ice bunker to the bottom, through which the air may circulate, so that it may pass around the ice and into the body of the ice compartment at any point through the wire mesh 25.

The separate sections 28 of the half-stage icing grate preferably comprise stamped sheet metal members which are formed with lohgitudinally extending pressed ribs 29, and the transversely extending pressed rib-s 30 located at each end. The grate sections 28 also have a multiplicity of spaced apertures 3| formed in the main body 34 of the grate section and each grate section preferably has depending lateral flanges 32 at each of its lateral edges for reinforcing the grate section.

The lateral reinforcing flanges 32 may carry lower reinforcing flanges 33 so that the edge structure of each grate section is channeled.

I desire it to be understood that the halficing grate 21 may also be used at the bottom of the ice bunker in the usual position for supporting the ice when the bunker is to be completely filled with ice.

In the embodiment selected to illustrate the invention, the ice bunker has a lower grate structure 35 comprising a plurality of separate sections, each of which is pivotally mounted on a hinge pintle on the end wall l2, and has its other end carried by a transverse frame member 31 received in a notch 38. The lower ice grates are also made of sections which fit below the end posts 24 of the ice bunker, and these lower grates may be pivoted upwardly on the pintles into the space which is occupied by the half-icing grates 27 in Fig. 2 when the halficing grate is in its horizontal position.

At its rear edge (Fig. 6) the main body por= tion 34 of each grate section 28 is formed with a substantially cylindrical hinge portion which extends inward from each of the side flanges 32 of the grate section and terminates at 41, which is also the end of a pintle 42.

An aperture 43 drilled through the hinge portion 40 and the pintle 42 serves to receive a cotter pin 44 which retains the pintle inside the hinged portions 43. The hinge portion 40 and body 24 of each grate section is cut away to form a rectangular slot 45 (Fig. 5) which is adapted to receive the hinge brackets 45 that are fixedly carried by the end wall of the car.

The slot 45 is elongated in a direction longitudinally of the grate section, that is, extending longitudinally of the car so that the grate section may be slid in this direction for a purpose further to be described. The hinge structure shown at numerals 49 to 45 is the same at each of the rear corners of the grate sections 34 so that only one of these hinge structures need be described in detail.

The hinge fixtures 46 are best shown in Fig. 6, and they each comprise a strap of sheet metal having a horizontal attaching flange 47, a downwardly extending rear flange 48, a camming and supporting flange 49 which extends diagonally downward and forward, a vertical retaining flange 50, and a diagonal attaching flange 5|. Thus, these hinge fixtures are bent to the shape of a trapezoid with outwardly projecting attaching flange 5!.

The attaching flanges 4'1 and 5| are secured to the end post 24 by welding at 52 and 53 along both sides of these flanges to secure their edges firmly to a side wall 54 of the end post 24. One form of end post is shown in Fig. 5, and it comprises a metal member of the wing channel type, the flanges of which are welded together to form a substantially rectangular box having side walls 54. V

The side walls 54 of the end posts may be made slightly longer than the other walls, thus providing a supporting flange 55 which may be bent laterally from the lower end of each end post 24 to provide additional support for the hinge bracket 46. The upper attaching flanges 47 and 5! of this hinge bracket are located above the supporting flanges 55 on the end post 24. As seen in Fig. 5, each end post which supports a grate has a hinge fixture 46 on each of its sides with the exception, of course, of the corner end posts which have a hinge fixture only on their inner sides.

The width of the grate sections is such that each extends to a plane located midway of the end posts 24, and thus the grate sections provide an ice grate that covers substantially the whole space inside the bunker.

The pintle 42 passes through the hinge fixture 46 and is carried by the cylindrical hinge portions 4| of the grate sections. Thus the pintle 42 may move from the full line position of Fig. 6 to the dotted line position of Fig. 6, permitting the grate to be slid forward and backward in the ice bunker for a purpose further to be described.

As the grate section is slid to the rear dotted line position of Fig. 6-, the camming portion 49 of the hinge fixture causes that end of the grate to rise slightly, and when the grate is supported in vertical position as shown in Fig. 4, the weight is taken off the pintles 42 by a latching and supporting arrangement further to be described.

In order to provide a proper clearance between the side reinforcing flanges 32 and the end wall of the car which is covered with an inner liner 56 of galvanized metal, the side flanges 32 and bottom flanges 33 are cut off to a bevel at 51, so that on the downward pivotal movement of the grate there is no sharp corner projecting which may gouge into the sheet metal lining 56.

Furthermore, the slope 49 of the camming flange tends to cause the pintle 42 to slide downward again, away from the wall I2 of the car, to the position of Fig. 4, where the pintle must be when the grate finally reaches its vertical position.

, At its lower end (Fig. 4) each grate section is preferably provided at one or both ends with a latch 58 adapted to engage behind a keeper 59.

The main body portion 34 of each grate section is bent backward at 60 at the end of the grate section toward the bulk-head, and provided with a rounded end portion 6| adapted to support the weight of the grate when it is in vertical position, An upwardly extending flange portion 62 also reinforces the grate section at this end, giving it a channeled construction.

The latches 58 may each consist of a strap of sheet metal having a vertically extending attaching flange 63, and a laterally projecting latching flange 64.

The latching flange 64 is not supported at right angles to the plane of the body 34 of the grate section, but it slopes upward toward the end wall l2 of the car, as shown in Fig. 4, so that the lower surface 65 of the latching flange 64 may serve as a camming surface when the latch is moving into the latching position. It is the edge 66 of the flange 64 which serves as the retaining shoulder for engaging the keeper 59.

The keeper 59 may also consist of a short strap of sheet metal having a horizontal attaching flange 61, an upwardly extending diagonal portion 68 and a vertical portion 69, the lower end of which is secured to an end post. Flange portions 51 and 69 of the keeper 59 are welded to the adjacent structure of the end post.

The end posts, which are discontinued or cut off at the point 26, that is the half-stage icing level, again continue at the bottom of the banker wall and serve to support the lower grate 35, and to effect a support of the half-stage icing grate in its vertical position. Thus, the keeper 59 may be welded to the upper end of each of the lower portions of the end posts 24, in position to engage and support the lower end of the grate sections 28 when they are in vertical position as shown in Fig. 3.

The operation of the latch and support for the grate section in this position is as follows: Referring to Fig. 4, the dotted line position shows a part of the grate and its latch as it approaches the keeper 59, when the grate is supported upon its pintle 42. The camming portion 35 of the latch 58 engages the sloping flange 68 of the keeper 59, and the grate section is cammed upward as it moves toward the right on its pintle 42, until the latch 59 passes over the hump of the keeper 59, and drops down behind the keeper 59 as shown in Fig. 4. The rounded edge Bl of the grate section then rests on the flange 61 of the keeper with the pintle 42 out of engagement with the lower flange 49 of the hinge fixture 46.

Thus, the weight is taken off the pintles and carried by the lower edge of the grate section, and the grate section is latched in vertical po sition. It may be moved out of this position by placing the fingers in any of the holes of the main body 34 of the grate section, and lifting the section until its latch clears the keeper 59, whereupon the grate section may be pivoted out from the full line position of Fig. 4, to the dotted line position.

The arrangement for supporting the grate sections at their free or bulk-head end is shown in Figs. 3, 5 and 6-. The metal wall I! of the bulk-head is provided with a substantially rectangular aperture 10 adjacent each of the corners of the grate sections which are located at the end of the grate section near the bulk-head. Two such slots are therefore required for each grate section, and the grate section may be supported at four points, to wit, the hinges at each of its rear corners, and at each of its front corners.

The sheet metal wall I! of the bulk-head is preferably reinforced for supporting the grate sections at this end by providing a sheet metal reinforcing member H, which may be long enough to extend to the two apertures that are necessary for each grate section.

Thus, each reinforcing member H has an elongated strap portion 12 and a horizontally extending flange 13 at each end, the horizontal flange being of sufiicient length to be received in the rectangular apertures 10, and to cover the relatively thin edge 14 of themetal wall H at the lower side of the aperture 10.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 6, the horizontal flange I3 is wide enough to extend to a point where its edge 15 will be flush with the inner surface l6 of the attaching flanges I! of the bulk-head post 18. This reinforcing member H is also secured to a short horizontally extending strap 19 which is welded beneath each horizontal flange 13 to reinforce the bulk-head wall I! on the inside.

The members 19 and H are preferably welded to the sheet metal wall 1'! along all of their eX- posed edges, and they serve to thicken the sheet metal wall of the bulk-head at the lower side of the aperture 10, and to distribute the weight of the grate sections over a greater area of the bulk-head wall 11.

In. the modification shown in Fig. 7 the bulkhead wall H has no foot flanges Tl projecting from it on the inside of the bunker, and therefore, the horizontal flange 13 terminates flush with the inner surface of the sheet metal wall I! inside the bulk-head, and the extra reinforcing strap i9 is omitted. The purpose of this structure in each case is to make the support for the grate of adequate strength without having any inwardly projecting parts on the sheet metal bulk-head wall, since these might interfere with the close packing of blocks of ice.

Projections might also engage the ice as it is being dropped down into position in the ice bunker, and therefore, all such projections are preferably avoided.

Each grate section is preferably provided at each of its free corners with a supporting member 80, and the supporting member may be of substantial width as shown in Fig. 3. Its width is, of course, slightly less than the width of the apertures 2'0 in the bulk-head wall I! in which these supporting members 80 are intended to be received.

Each supporting member 80 may consist of a pair of vertically extending attaching flanges til, 32 which carry a pair of horizontally extending flanges 83, 84. In view of the increased thickness of the grate section body at the rearwardly turned flange 52, the vertical flanges 8i of the supporting member 80 are made narrower at the right end in Fig. 6.

The horizontal flanges 83 and 84 are welded to the vertical flanges BI and 82 to form a substantially box-like member extending in a horizontal direction. At the right end of this boxlike member, the upper flange 83 is bent downward to form a vertical flange 35 which engages the downwardly extending vertical flange 35 that is carried by the lower side 80 of the member 30.

The two flanges 85 and 85 together form a retaining shoulder which engages on the outside of the bulk-head wall I? when the supporting member &3 is passed through the aperture I0. The upper wall 83 of this supporting member 80 is welded to the flange 62 as shown, and the upper edge of the wider portion ill of each side flange BI, 32 is also welded to the main body 3:1 of the grate section on its lower side.

The depending flanges 35, Stare spaced from the end of the grate section sufficiently so that the member 80 may extend through the aperture 70 when the flanges 85, B5 are hooked downward outside the reinforcing strip '52. parts are in this position the pintle 42 is in its most forward position in the hinge fixture A6.

The vertical dimension of the aperture I0 is slightly greater than the overall length of the flanges 85, 86 so that the member 89 acts like a hook which can be inserted in the aperture 70 and dropped into the position of Fig. 6, or it can be lifted and removed from the aperture iii.

The operation of this and of the grate will be apparent from the foregoing description of its parts.

When the grate section is horizontal position, it is supported by the members 80 at each of its front corners, and by the hinge fixtures 46 at each of its rear corners. Anyone desiring to move the grate section to vertical position may lift the free end until the hook flanges 85, 85 clear the lower edge of the aperture 70, and then a grate section may be slid backward to the dotted line position of Fig. 6, its pintle sliding upward on the flange 9.

Thereafter the free end of the grate may be dropped, and as it pivots down the pintle 02 will again slide downward on the flange &9 until the pintle is in the same position in which it was in Fig. 6. As the grate approaches the vertical position of Figure 4, its latch 53 will cam the grate section upward over the keeper 59. Then the rate section will drop downward again, but its weight will still be kept off the pintle 42 and will be supported by the lower edge SI of each grate section.

The latch 58 will drop behind its keeper 59 to hold the grate in vertical position. The supporting members 80, being located between the end posts of the car, will not interfere with movement of the grate to the position of Fig. i. As both ends of each grate section are opened, and the reinforcing flanges 52 extend vertically in the position of Fig. 4, the grate in this posi- When the tion forms an air passage of substantially the same proportions as that located between the wire screening 25, the end posts, and the end wall, I2 of the car. These air conduits form continuations of those formed by the wire screenmg.

The main body of each section 34 being perforated, air may pass down these conduits and out of these perforations.

Referring to Figs. 9 to 12, these are fragmentary views of modifications of the structure for supporting the free end of the grate by means of an improved form of bulkhead wall which does not have a sheet metal wall but instead employs a covering of expanded metal on a channeled framework.

In this embodiment of th invention the bulkhead, which is indicated in its entirety by the numeral 90, has the same sheathing I6 which is carried by the bulkhead posts 9|, 92. The bulkhead posts 92, which are located between the walls of the car, may consist of a pair of channeled members 93, 94, having their open sides turned toward each other and welded or otherwise fixedly secured together.

Adjacent the side wall of the car, the bulkhead post 9I consists of a single channeled member with its flanges extending inwardly. On its outer side it may be provided with a plurality of angle brackets 96 secured to the post ill by screw bolts 91 and utilized for supporting the expanded metal covering 98 which is welded or otherwise permanently secured to the posts SI, 92, etc.

This expanded metal covering preferably comprises material which is made by slitting sheet metal and spreading the slits apart, the slits be ing alternately located, and afterward the expanded metal which then looks like the expanded metal latch used in stucco, is subjected to such deforming pressure that all of its parts are brought into substantially the same plane.

In order to provide the bulkhead of this construction with adequate support for the free ends of the grates 99, I00, special sheet metal supporting members IOI, I02 are preferably provided and secured from post to post. In order to provide an adequate support on the channeled past 9| the channel of this post is filled with a sheet metal plate I03 which is welded in place as shown in Figs. 9 and 11.

The supporting members IOI, I02 may be of similar construction and each preferably comprises a flat sheet metal body I04 of substantially rectangular shape which is provided with border flanges I05, I06 at each end and I01, I03 at its top and bottom.

The border flanges IDS-I08 extend at substantially right angles to the body portion I04 and, for convenience in bending the corner portions between the flanges, are formed with slots I09.

The length of the supporting member IOI is such that it fits between the plate I03 and the body of the channel 93 in the same way the other supporting members fit between the bodies of the channel 94 and the next adjacent channeled member.

The supporting members IOI, I02 are secured in place by having the end flanges I05, I06 welded to the plate I03 and channel 93 as indicated by the X marks.

The body I04 of this supporting member IM or I 02 is provided with a rectangular aperture I I 0 which is suitably located so that it may be engaged with a latching and supporting member I I I located midway between the sides of the grate and adapted to constitute the sole support for this free end of the grate. The size of the aperture H is suflicient to pass the latching and supporting member III and its depending flange I I2 when the grate is raised slightly.

The grates 99, I99 are similar in construction to those previously described and are provided with the same depending side flanges 32, inwardly turned reenforcing flanges 33, and the corrugations 29. The free end of the grate is provided with the backwardly turned U-shaped portion 62 (Fig. 12) previously described with respect to Fig. 6. This flange is preferably cut away in the embodiment of Figs. 9 to 12 at its lower portion forming a relatively narrow slot I I3 extending into the top flange of the grate as shown in Fig. 9.

The supporting and latching member II I may then be located between the corrugations 29 and may have its upper portion fixedly secured to the flat body I I4 of the grate section.

This supporting and latching member III is preferably formed of a wing channel I I5 comprising a body flange I I6, a pair of depending flanges I I1, I I8, and a pair of wing flanges I I9, I20. The channel opening may be closed by a relatively short metal plate I2I whose largest dimension is its width as it is wide enough to cover the wing flanges I I9, I of the wing channel I I5 to which it is secured by Welding.

The plate I2I is formed with a depending retaining flange I22, the outer face of which is flush with the end I23 of the wing channel I I5 and the plate I2I is preferably welded to the wing chan-' nel along each of its edges. In this case the corrugations 29 extend longitudinally of the grate and the additional corrugation shown in Fig. 6 adjacent the free end of the grate is omitted.

The depth of the depending flanges H1, H8 of the wing channel is such that the wings H9, I29 come into engagement with the full portion of the corrugations 29 and thus the wings may be welded to the corrugations for a short distance indicated by the X marks in Fig. 9 and indicated by the numeral I24 in Fig. 10.

Over the remainder of the wings these wings are not in contact with the bottom of the grate because of the upwardly tapered formation of the corrugations 29. The wing channel H5 is of course also welded to the body of the grate at all other contacting points.

As the latching and supporting member II I is of a substantial width in a horizontal direction and as it engages the lower edge of the aperture III) in the supporting member IIII, the free end of the grate is firmly and adequately supported and there is little or no tendency toward tilting of the grate at this end. As distinguished from the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, only one such supporting member is then required for each grate section.

Referring to Fig. 13, this is a fragmentary sectional view of the lower end of the car wall such as is shown just above the pintle 35 in Fig. 2, but with a modified form of. latch. In this embodiment of the invention the latches are carried by the two free corners I25, I26 of each grate section.

As the lateral borders of the grate sections have the depending flanges 32, the inwardly extending flanges 33 and the rearwardly turned flange 62, these flanges may be utilized for supporting the latches which hold the grate in its vertical position with the weight removed from the pintle.

For example, the latching arrangement includes a latch indicated in its entirely by the numeral I21 and comprising a pair of angle members I28, I29. The angle member I28 comprises a strap of metal having its two parts bent at right angles and the vertical flange is secured to the flange 33 by welding.

The angle member I29 comprises a similar member having its vertical flange secured to the lower side of the flange 62 (Fig. 13). The two horizontal flanges of these angle members I28 and I29 overlap each other and are welded to gether at I39. Thus the lower of these two angle members has a vertically extending shoulder I3I which serves as the latching shoulder.

The wing channel I32 which forms the end post for the lower part of the ice chamber, preferably has its corner removed and is provided with a sloping surface at I33.

Another sheet metal strap has a sloping body flange I34 which is welded to the post at I33 and it has a horizontal portion I35 the edge of which I36 serves as a keeper for engaging the shoulder I3I.

The other end of the sloping body portion I34 is bent backwardly at I37 and its edgeerigages the surface of the post I32 to which this member is welded. Thus the sloping portion I34 serves'as a camming surface for engaging a rounded corner. I38 on the angle I28 when the grate swings down to vertical position.

The grate is then cammed upward until angle I28 passes over the horizontal portion I35 and shoulder I3I is behind shoulder I36. The grate then drops down a short distance such as, for example, a quarter of an inch, but the pintle 42 still has the weight removed from it, the weight being supported by the lower or free edge of the grate section as shown in Fig. 13.

It will thus be observed that no movable latching devices are required to support the present half-stage icing grate in its horizontal position as the grate sections themselves have hook-like members which may be inserted in apertures in the metal wall of the bulkhead to support the grate sections.

The hinge arrangements provided are particularly arranged and adapted to permit this sliding movement, and to prevent the grate sections from pivoting at a point so close to the end wall that the reinforcing edges of the grate sections might gouge the sheet metal lining. The pintles are automatically moved forward to a position spaced from the sheet metal lining when the grate sections are dropped.

No handle is required on the grate sections as the apertures in them serve to receive the fingers of an operator. The latching arrangements are practically automatic as the dropping of the grate section may give it sulficient momentum to cause its latch to pass upward of the keeper and downward into latching position.

The present device may be manipulated more easily than the devices of the prior art which had movable latching members mounted on the bulkhead. Only one hand is required for handling each grate section, and therefore, a workman may handle two grate sections at the same time, using both his hands, thus saving time and labor.

The present arrangement is more simple and economical, and has less moving parts, and thus may be manufactured at a lower cost than the devices of the prior art.

While I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction as set forth, but desire to avail myself of all changes within the scope of the appended claims,

Having thu described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a refrigerator car, a movable grate arrangement comprising a grate having an apertured body section, and having a hinge arranged at one of its ends, said hinge including a pintle and a hinge fixture having a lost motion and rotating connection with said pintle, and a supporting member carried by the other end of said grate section and adapted to be moved over a supporting part carried by a bulk-head wall when the grate section is moved toward the bulk-head, a camming member carried by the free end of said rate section, and a supporting surface carried by the car wall, whereby the grate section may be cammed vertically when it pivots into vertical position, and its weight is lifted from the pintle 2. In a refrigerator car, a movable grate arrangement comprising a grate having an apertured body section, and having a hinge arranged at one of its ends, said hinge including a pintle and a hinge fixture having a lost motion and rotating connection with said pintle, and a supporting member carried by the other end of said grate section and adapted to be moved over a supporting part carried by a bulk-head wall when the grate section is moved toward the bulk-head, a camming member carried by the free end of said grate section, and a supporting surface carried by the car wall, whereby the grate section may be cammed vertically when it pivots into vertical position, and its weight is lifted from the pintle, and a keeper for engaging said camming member.

3. In a refrigerator car, a movable grate arrangement comprising a grate having an apertured body section, and having a hinge arranged at one of its ends, said hinge including a pintle and a hinge fixture having a lost motion and rotating connection with said pintle, and a supporting member carried by the other end of said grate section and adapted to be moved over a supporting part carried by a bulk-head wall when the grate section is moved toward the bulk-head, a camming member carried by the free end of said grate section, and a supporting surface carried by thecar wall, whereby the grate section may be cammed vertically when it pivots into vertical position, and its weight is lifted from the pintle, said grate section having lateral reinforcing flanges, and said hinge fixture having a slop ing supporting flange adapted to cause the pintle to slide away from the wall when the grate section is pivoted downward.

4. In a refrigerator car, an ice bunker defined by the end wall of the car and a bulk-head, said bulk-head having a sheet metal wall on the side toward the ice bunker, and said end wall having metal end posts, said end posts terminating at a predetermined point, and having hinge fixtures secured to the side of said end posts, said hinge fixtures having horizontally elongated apertures, said bulk-head metal wall having a plurality of apertures at subsantially the same level as said hinge fixtures, a plurality of grate sections, each grate section having a pintle for engaging in said hinge fixtures, and each grate section having a horizontally extending supporting member for engaging in the aperture of said bulk-head wall,

said. pintles being supported by substantially cylindrical edge portions of the grate sections, said supporting members having depending retaining flanges adapted to pass through apertures in the bulk-head wall, and keepers carried by the end wall of said car in position to engage the latching members carried by the free ends of said grate sections to latch the grate sections in vertical position, said hinge fixtures also having a vertical clearance with respect to the pintles, and said latching members having a camming surface for raising the grate sections off the pintles when the grate sections are latched in vertical position. 5. In a refrigerator car, a half stage icing grate comprising a sheet metal member having a body flange and depending reenforcing flanges at its side edges, said reenforcing flanges carrying inwardly extending flanges, a pintle and hinge arrangement for the pivoted edge of said grate having a lost motion connection between the pintle and hinge, and supporting means for the free edge of said grate comprising a bulkhead having a pair of supporting posts, an apertured metal member carried between two of said posts, a supporting and latching member carried by the grate section comprising a channeled metal member fixedly secured to the lower side of said grate section and projecting longitudinally from its end, said channeled member carrying a depending retaining flange of such size that the supporting and latching member may be passed through the aperture in the supporting member carried by the bulkhead posts, said supporting and latching member being located mid-way between the edges of said grate section and the corners of said grate section carrying a member having a latching shoulder for engaging a camming surface carried by the car wall whereby the grate section may be cammed upward when it swings down to vertical position to remove the weight from its pintle and the grate section may be moved horizontally to latch or unlatch the latching and supporting member from the bulkhead. 6. In a supporting structure for the free end of an ice grate in a refrigerator car, comprising a bulkhead having a foraminated wall carried by vertically extending metal frame members, a transverse channelled member carried by two of said frame members and welded thereto and located behind said foraminated covering outside of the ice chamber, said channelled member having an enlarged aperture, and a supporting member adapted to be carried by the free end of the ice grate and to be welded thereto, comprising a tubular metal member provided with a lower substantially flat supporting flange, and a downwardly extending retaining flange at its end, the depth of said downwardly extending flange and tubular member overall being less than the vertical depth of said aperture whereby the grate may be supported by said supporting member being passed through said aperture and retained in place by said downwardly extending flange, and said supporting structure being free of projections on the inside of the ice chamber when the grate is moved out of supported position.

GEORGE BOSWINKLE. 

